UPSC Prelims 2025 Q11: Raja Ram Mohan Roy's Ideas — Explained
Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:
I. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
II. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- I only
- II only
- Both I and II
- Neither I nor II
Answer: (c) Both I and II
Statement-wise explanation
- I: correct — Rammohun Roy studied the Hindu scriptures in depth. He translated Upanishads such as the Kena and Isha into Bengali and English from 1816 onwards. He used the Upanishads and Vedanta to argue that ancient Hindu texts teach worship of one formless God. Bipan Chandra's Modern India uses almost these exact words: he 'possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophic systems of the East'.
- II: correct — The same textbook passage goes on to say that he wanted his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women. His actions match this. In his letter of 11 December 1823 to Lord Amherst, he asked for teaching of mathematics, natural philosophy, chemistry and anatomy instead of a new Sanskrit college. He also attacked caste and campaigned against sati, which was banned by Regulation XVII of 1829.
How to eliminate
No absolute words here help you eliminate anything. Both statements are broad descriptions of his outlook, so you need to know one fact: Rammohun Roy combined respect for Eastern philosophy with support for Western rational and scientific education. The usual trap is to think that because he pushed for English and science education, he must have rejected Indian philosophy, and so to pick 'II only'. That is wrong. He grounded his religious reform in the Upanishads and Vedanta. A useful rule for reformer questions: statements that sum up a reformer's ideas in general, positive terms, often taken word for word from standard textbooks, are usually true. Statements with a specific claim (a date, a founder, 'opposed', 'only') are where UPSC hides the error.
Know more
Rammohun Roy (1772–1833): reform through synthesis
Rammohun Roy was born on 22 May 1772 at Radhanagar in Bengal and died on 27 September 1833 at Bristol, England. He is often called the 'Father of the Bengal Renaissance'. His method was to look for reform inside India's own tradition and to add to it what modern Western learning offered.
- East: He read the Upanishads and Vedanta as teaching one formless God. On that basis he rejected idol worship and empty ritual.
- West: He believed rational thought, modern science and English education were needed to regenerate Indian society.
- Social equality: He denounced caste, opposed sati and argued for women's rights.
| Year | Work or institution | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1803–04 | Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (Persian) | Defended monotheism on rational grounds |
| 1814 | Atmiya Sabha, Calcutta | Discussion circle against idolatry and social evils |
| 1816–19 | Bengali translations of Upanishads | Showed that scripture supports monotheism |
| 1822 | Anglo-Hindu School | Modern education |
| 1823 | Letter to Lord Amherst | Asked for science and English instead of a Sanskrit college |
| 20 Aug 1828 | Brahmo Sabha (later Brahmo Samaj) | Monotheistic worship and rational reading of texts |
| 4 Dec 1829 | Bengal Sati Regulation (XVII of 1829) | Sati banned under William Bentinck |
He also set up Vedanta College, where Indian learning was taught together with Western social and physical sciences. The Ministry of Culture marked his 250th birth anniversary from 22 May 2022 to 22 May 2023.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Rammohun Roy: The question is about this reformer's overall outlook, so start with who he was and what he did.
- Upanishads: Statement I is about Eastern philosophy. These are the texts Roy translated and quoted in his religious writings.
- Vedanta: Roy presented his monotheism as the true teaching of Vedanta. Knowing the term helps you judge Statement I.
- Abolition of sati: His campaign against sati is the best-known test of his views on human dignity and women, which Statement II raises.
- William Bentinck: The Governor-General who passed the 1829 sati ban that Roy's campaign supported. This pairing is often asked in Prelims.